Lars von Trier was back with a vengeance in Copenhagen on Sunday night, where the Danish film critics gave out their prestigious Bodil Awards.

With Dogville singled out as the best film he became the first filmmaker to win the coveted award five times - despite missing out with his two latest films, Dancer In The Dark and The Idiots.

His previous winning films were Element Of Crime, Europa, The Kingdom and Breaking The Waves.

Many had tipped Per Fly's The Inheritance as the winner, but the popular drama had to do with the awards for best actor and best supporting actor for Ulrich Thomsen and Peter Steen respectively.

The Inheritance snagged most of the recent Robert Awards from the Danish Film Academy including best film.

Morten Arnfred's Move Me secured both the best actress and best supporting actress awards for Birthe Neumann and Ditte Graaboel.

Two close associates of Lars von Trier were also singled out for special awards. UK-born cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (Dogville, It's All About Love) won the newly instigated Cinematography Award sponsored by KODAK and Nordisk Film Postproduction, while veteran Anders Refn was given an honorary Bodil award for his contribution to Danish film both as a filmmaker, writer, editor and in the case of Trier assistant director.

In the foreign film category the Danish critics preferred Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine over The Return Of The King, Mystic River, The Hours and Far From Heaven, while the German comedy drama Good Bye, Lenin! was named best non-American film.

Bodil awards (the Danish Association of Film Critics):

Best Danish Film: Dogville (Lars von Trier)

Best Actor: Ulrich Thomsen (Inheritance)

Best Actress: Birthe Neumann (Move Me)

Best Actor: Peter Steen (Inheritance)

Best Supporting Actress: Ditte Graaboel (Move Me)

Best non-American Film: Good Bye, Lenin! (Wolfgang Becker, Germany)

Best American Film: Bowling for Columbine (Michael Moore)

Honorary Bodil: Anders Refn

Cinematographer Award: Anthony Dod Mantle